‘Allo. It’s Labyrinth’s 30th Anniversary!

It was 30 years ago today that my Father and I stepped into the lobby of the Mall Twin Cinema, a mall movie theater in our neck of the woods that had two auditoriums…naturally. We were there to see Jim Henson and George Lucas’ new live action collaboration entitled Labyrinth. It might be considered a classic now or perhaps a cult classic but I can assure you that when we saw it…there was probably about 20 people in the theater to witness the magic the Jim Henson Company, Brian Froud, and of course the late great David Bowie managed to bring to the big screen.

[Via] SonyPicsHomeEntWorld
I’ve mentioned this before but my Father was never ever a fan of animated fare…or even films that were aimed to a younger audience. He would take me to see the latest Disney movie or things like Transformers: The Movie but he would often find himself having to step outside the theater. This was never the case in regards to the Muppet movies or even the Muppet Show or other works by Jim Henson, including The Dark Crystal and of course Labyrinth. My Father was just as excited about the film as I was and for good reason, right? While I think that Labyrinth is quite a bit lighter in tone than say 1982’s The Dark Crystal it has it’s moments of threat or hints of danger like when Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) happens upon the Firey clan!

[Via] Flavia Claudia
While I do love both films I happen to prefer Labyrinth over The Dark Crystal, only because it is more up my alley. Thanks in no small part to the wonderful designs for the Goblin hordes by legendary illustrator Brian Froud, this was also probably a hold over for my love of the titular characters of 1984’s Gremlins – though the Goblins tend to be less dangerous.
Of course we can’t overlook the many talented performers from the Jim Henson Company who managed to help suspend our disbelief while watching Labyrinth, like how they brought the Helping Hands to life from Terry Jones’ screenplay.

[Via] The Jim Henson Company
So why not take some time today and enjoy revisiting your old friends in the Labyrinth? I can assure you they are still there…through dangers untold. And hardships unnumbered. In the castle; beyond the goblin city…happy to entertain and sing you a song even 30 years later.

Searching through the alleys for useful knowledge in the city of Nostalgia. Huge cinema fanatic and sometimes carrier of the flame for the weirding ways of 80s gaming, toys, and television. When his wife lets him he is quite happy sitting in the corner eating buckets of beef jerky.